The present invention relates generally to power systems for telecommunications equipment and networks. More particularly, the invention relates to an automated system for analyzing the operating status of a power system and for assessing when modules within the power system need to be upgraded. In one embodiment the automated system initiates an electronic commerce transaction to place the order for the upgrade equipment.
Telecommunications systems use comparatively sophisticated, modular power systems that provide power even during AC power outages. The power system and its associated reserve power subsystems (e.g., storage batteries, diesel-powered generators, etc.) represent a sizable financial investment. In addition to the costs of the equipment itself, the administrative costs to operate the equipment are quite substantial. Aside from the day-to-day operations needed to run the telecommunications system and its power system, there is the additional administrative burden of monitoring when the power system needs to be repaired or upgraded. Due to the complexity of these systems, these maintenance and upgrade activities are not as simple as they might first appear.
A power system is usually engineered and configured when the system is first installed. The design engineer estimates how much load will be required, what duration is needed for the reserve power systems, and so forth, and designs the power system accordingly. However, a telecommunications system is not a static entity. New pieces of equipment may be added from time to time to support new customers. The engineering departments responsible for adding new equipment to support new users may not necessarily have responsibility for monitoring and upgrading the power system. An engineer installing a new switch or router, for example, might simply consider the power system to be adequate, based on current power usage, and may therefore not ascertain that under different load conditions the power system may need to be upgraded.
In an effort to make these power systems easier to use and maintain, the invention provides an automated expansion analyzer that monitors each of the components of the power system and automatically assesses when expansion or upgrade is called for. In power systems made up of modular units, the invention analyzes each modular unit and determines when additional modular units should be procured. The system supports both local and remote display of upgrade notification messages, and is further capable of providing notification by e-mail message. In one embodiment the system will further initiate electronic commerce transactions to place the required upgrade modules on order so that they will be automatically shipped to the site for installation.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the automated expansion analyzer includes a monitor system that is coupled to the power system for obtaining operating state information from at least one of the power system""s subsystems. In the preferred implementation, these subsystems comprise modular units, such units include rectifier units, battery connection units and power distribution units. The monitor system also obtains information about the reserve power batteries coupled to the battery connection unit or units. A system expansion analysis module communicates with the monitor system. The analysis module has a data store that contains at least one alarm threshold parameter. The system expansion analysis module employs a processor for assessing the operating state information vis-a-vis the alarm threshold parameter or parameters. The system further includes a user interface module that communicates with the analysis module to provide upgrade notification with respect to a selected one of the subsystems, before the capacity of that subsystem is reached.
The automated expansion analyzer can significantly reduce the cost of ownership by greatly simplifying the system monitoring and upgrading functions. When the system senses that the overall load is approaching a predetermined threshold parameter, additional rectifier units may be required. The system will notify the owner and, if desired, automatically place an order for the requisite number of rectifier units. As loads increase, the analyzer can also determine that additional battery strings need to be ordered, in order to provide the backup power duration specified during the initial system design. The need for additional battery connection units may also be assessed and ordered. Similarly, when the system detects that the power distribution unit or units are reaching capacity an additional power distribution unit may be indicated and placed on order. Such condition could occur, for example, when a predetermined number of load connections (circuit breaker-protected) have been made, or when the maximum capacity of the distribution unit has been reached.
The analyzer is flexible enough to include multiple sets of threshold parameters so that the user can define a set of warning threshold parameters to send alert messages before the over-capacity thresholds have been reached. This gives the system operator a great deal of flexibility in customizing the upgrade plan to match the company""s business structure.
For a more complete understanding of the invention, its objects and advantages, refer to the following specification and to the accompanying drawings.